I got my braces off. I was told my treatment was complete. I assumed my teeth were going to look nice, but I wasnt given a mirror, or anything. I'm told my teeth are going to "settle", but I think that's a bunch of horsepoo. My retainers are constructed so that the teeth look not an ounce different, so I can't see how "settling" would change this.
Please someone take a look at these pictures, and tell me what I should do. I'm extremely angry, because I wore braces for 1.5 years expecting nice looking teeth. I'm very disatisfied, and I dont know what to do. Should I go see another ortho, go back to the same one? When I complained, he just told me..."I don't see what you're talking about...everything looks fine to me..and I think we should take off the bands.."
Ok...well here's "fine" to you. What's "exactly wrong" with my teeth??.. I know they don't look right..but I cant pinpoint it. The tops are ok...but the bottoms just seems messed up...very crowded.....dont match the top.
http://img20.imageshack.us/my.php?image ... es12qn.jpg
http://img20.imageshack.us/my.php?image ... es27gj.jpg
Braces Off: Teeth Not Straight, what's the deal?
Moderator: bbsadmin
First of all, I'm very sorry you are disappointed. I can't imagine waiting all that time to be angry and disappointed in the outcome.
Your teeth look very nice. I do agree. They're not straight.
What explanation did your Ortho give you?
How are they supposed to settle?
Sheila
Your teeth look very nice. I do agree. They're not straight.
What explanation did your Ortho give you?
How are they supposed to settle?
Sheila
ceramic uppers
metal bottoms
Estimated Treatment Time - 36 months
metal bottoms
Estimated Treatment Time - 36 months
straight
I also agree with the others, They look good, but not straight. It seems by your pictures that you didn't have your bottom teeth leveled. I would call you Ortho.
Best wishes,
Leah
Best wishes,
Leah
lower wisdom teeth cut out 1/27/05 (ouch)
braced 3/8/05.
24-30 month Est.
going full metal 8/22/05
Naked as of August 28, 2006
braced 3/8/05.
24-30 month Est.
going full metal 8/22/05
Naked as of August 28, 2006
Sorry to hear about your disappointment.
I agree that the results are not 100% perfect, but your teeth still look very good. I think most people would be very happy with those results.
Personally, I would never want my teeth to be 100% straight. That gives it a somewhat artificial look, I think. Your teeth look great, but I can see that a few teeth seem to be a bit out of line. I don't think most people would notice though. I hope that somehow you will eventually like your new smile...
I agree that the results are not 100% perfect, but your teeth still look very good. I think most people would be very happy with those results.
Personally, I would never want my teeth to be 100% straight. That gives it a somewhat artificial look, I think. Your teeth look great, but I can see that a few teeth seem to be a bit out of line. I don't think most people would notice though. I hope that somehow you will eventually like your new smile...
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rockexrolloh
- Posts: 95
- Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:45 pm
- Location: indiana
I think they look great. I do notice how the bottom teeth aren't completely straight but i don't think any of us will ever have 100% perfect teeth.
I think the "settling" thing is a load of crap. I've never heard of that before. But I agree with everyone else about calling your ortho. If you're really that bothered by it and are going to be unhappy with your smile, I'd definitely visit your ortho again.
I think the "settling" thing is a load of crap. I've never heard of that before. But I agree with everyone else about calling your ortho. If you're really that bothered by it and are going to be unhappy with your smile, I'd definitely visit your ortho again.
Hi,
Firstly I would like to say that your teeth are looking very good and, to the untrained non-bracewearer's eye, pretty straight too (we on here are used to scrutinizing smiles aren't we!). Your bottom teeth look like they perhaps could benefit from being levelled off at the top - this in itself can make teeth look straighter. Perhaps a little whitening would also help you feel more confident about your new smile. However, if you feel that neither of these things would help then you must make an appointment with either the ortho that carried out your treatment or a new one if you are not getting anywhere with him. Do you have any before pics you could show us?
LoobyLou x
Firstly I would like to say that your teeth are looking very good and, to the untrained non-bracewearer's eye, pretty straight too (we on here are used to scrutinizing smiles aren't we!). Your bottom teeth look like they perhaps could benefit from being levelled off at the top - this in itself can make teeth look straighter. Perhaps a little whitening would also help you feel more confident about your new smile. However, if you feel that neither of these things would help then you must make an appointment with either the ortho that carried out your treatment or a new one if you are not getting anywhere with him. Do you have any before pics you could show us?
LoobyLou x
Braced: 22nd April 2005
Type of brace: Damon 3 uppers and lowers
Estimated brace time: 18 months - now extended to approx 22 months
*Latest - now I have no idea how long it will be!*
Type of brace: Damon 3 uppers and lowers
Estimated brace time: 18 months - now extended to approx 22 months
*Latest - now I have no idea how long it will be!*
In any case, your ortho is not professional. He did not care about your concerns. He did not even hand you a mirror, maybe because he knew the results were not perfect. He even lied to you about the retainers fixing the problems, so that you would get off his case. One and a half years is on the early side of ending treatment. Maybe he just wanted to end treatment as soon as possible.
since I am not an ortho
Having no ortho credentials to my name, I'll still toss out a comment:
I agree with most everyone that your bottom teeth don't look great, they're good, but not great. From my own experience, this is what I have found.
Orthos are generally loathe to suggest an extraction, but more often than not they make that decisison without consulting the patient to see if they agree. To me it looks like your bottom teeth are as straight as they can be, given the crowding, which looks pretty evident. Orthos tend to make treatment plans "assuming" we don't want to have an extraction and the time in treatment necessary to accommodate one, as we are adults and often have to do business presentations, etc. where significant dental work could interfere. Children, however, they just dictate what will occur.
It ticks me off when an ortho says "well, I developed the treatment plan to have you in braces for as short a time as possible," as if they know that time in braces is my biggest concern. It isn't !!! I will gladly be in braces an extra year if that will afford the time for optimal resultls, not just fast results. Braces are such a huge investment that, at least for me, the tradeoff of a few months or a year and/or an extraction is well worth it to get GREAT results, not just satisfactory results.
I vote contact the ortho and discuss his treatment plan, and why the bottom teeth look the way they do. I would point blank ask if doing an extraction to relieve the crowding and allow the teeth to align in their natural form is an option. Of course, you should not be paying one more penny to do so.
As I have learned, ask for a "consultation" and offer to pay for the consult, as otherwise he'll spend five seconds with you and be back on the floor earning money. You need his undivided attention in a private setting, so he knows you're serious.
In my non-dentally-trained opinion, you have a good case to go back and get some answers. I look forward to hearing back what happened.
AKW
I agree with most everyone that your bottom teeth don't look great, they're good, but not great. From my own experience, this is what I have found.
Orthos are generally loathe to suggest an extraction, but more often than not they make that decisison without consulting the patient to see if they agree. To me it looks like your bottom teeth are as straight as they can be, given the crowding, which looks pretty evident. Orthos tend to make treatment plans "assuming" we don't want to have an extraction and the time in treatment necessary to accommodate one, as we are adults and often have to do business presentations, etc. where significant dental work could interfere. Children, however, they just dictate what will occur.
It ticks me off when an ortho says "well, I developed the treatment plan to have you in braces for as short a time as possible," as if they know that time in braces is my biggest concern. It isn't !!! I will gladly be in braces an extra year if that will afford the time for optimal resultls, not just fast results. Braces are such a huge investment that, at least for me, the tradeoff of a few months or a year and/or an extraction is well worth it to get GREAT results, not just satisfactory results.
I vote contact the ortho and discuss his treatment plan, and why the bottom teeth look the way they do. I would point blank ask if doing an extraction to relieve the crowding and allow the teeth to align in their natural form is an option. Of course, you should not be paying one more penny to do so.
As I have learned, ask for a "consultation" and offer to pay for the consult, as otherwise he'll spend five seconds with you and be back on the floor earning money. You need his undivided attention in a private setting, so he knows you're serious.
In my non-dentally-trained opinion, you have a good case to go back and get some answers. I look forward to hearing back what happened.
AKW
I too was going to suggest having your lower teeth shaped. My ortho said they would do that for me when I get my braces off. That may help, but if the teeth truly are not straight, I would definitely go back to the ortho. If I feel something is wrong, I always bring it up at my appointments. I also will not let them take my braces off if I feel my teeth are not ready.
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I just want to thank everyone for posting. I'm glad that I'm not crazy, because my parents don't "believe" me.
Additionally, the look on the receptionist's face was priceless, and totally revealing of how the teeth look. She said,
"Let me see them! You got them off! Smile!"
I smiled.
Then...with a solumn face...."....they look nice....."
RIGHT.
I'm going to see my dentist on Tuesday, and from there I'll probably have to make an appointment to see another ortho. The thought of having to resume treatment is depressing....but I got braces in the first place to have nice teeth. Yes...my teeth are much straighter than they were....but are they nicer? I don't know....
Dan
Additionally, the look on the receptionist's face was priceless, and totally revealing of how the teeth look. She said,
"Let me see them! You got them off! Smile!"
I smiled.
Then...with a solumn face...."....they look nice....."
RIGHT.
I'm going to see my dentist on Tuesday, and from there I'll probably have to make an appointment to see another ortho. The thought of having to resume treatment is depressing....but I got braces in the first place to have nice teeth. Yes...my teeth are much straighter than they were....but are they nicer? I don't know....
Dan
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weird_wired
- Posts: 427
- Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2005 1:33 pm
- Contact:
My first glance impression - mainly from the uppers - was "nice straight white teeth!"
Looking more closely I can see what you are perhaps concerned about, but I still think you have very good looking teeth.
No one looking at your teeth would ever consider: "that guy needs braces". They look very good indeed.
BUT: in terms of the 100% straightness perfection you were perhaps expecting, I agree that it's not quite there.
Perfect straightness isn't achievable for everyone, but regardless, your ortho should have explained to you why your teeth look a certain way. My only guess is that some people are borderline for extractions. Taking out two teeth would really be too much, and they would be left gappy/sparse, but leaving them as they are perhaps looks a little crowded.
Either way, your teeth are currently definitely what would be described by the average person as "great teeth!" The problem is that all of us, and you, having had orthodontic treatment, no longer look with the "average person's" eyes.
Looking more closely I can see what you are perhaps concerned about, but I still think you have very good looking teeth.
No one looking at your teeth would ever consider: "that guy needs braces". They look very good indeed.
BUT: in terms of the 100% straightness perfection you were perhaps expecting, I agree that it's not quite there.
Perfect straightness isn't achievable for everyone, but regardless, your ortho should have explained to you why your teeth look a certain way. My only guess is that some people are borderline for extractions. Taking out two teeth would really be too much, and they would be left gappy/sparse, but leaving them as they are perhaps looks a little crowded.
Either way, your teeth are currently definitely what would be described by the average person as "great teeth!" The problem is that all of us, and you, having had orthodontic treatment, no longer look with the "average person's" eyes.
It's too bad that you will have to see another ortho. But maybe it's the only solution, as your old ortho probably will not put the braces back on. I think it may be a good idea to try though. Going through the entire process again just to tweak an unfinished job is very unfortunate. Good luck though.